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Wild C Koivu withdraws from Sochi Olympics

KARE 11 Staff, KARE 2:14 p.m. EST February 7, 2014

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 23: Mikko Koivu #9 of the Minnesota Wild waits during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on December 23, 2013 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)(Photo: Paul Bereswill Getty Images)

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Wild center Mikko Koivu said he will represent Team Finland in the Sochi Olympics due to injury.

Koivu, who was invited to play in his third-straight Olympic Games, had surgery to repair a fractured ankle after he was struck in the foot with a puck on Jan. 4 against the Washington Capitals. He has not played since the surgery.

The two-time Olympian has won a Sliver (2006, Torino) and Bronze (2010, Vancouver) with Finland.

"If I would be healthy, it would help me to (go to Sochi) and play here, but at the same time (I need to) make sure I'm 100 percent healthy for the Minnesota Wild," Koivu said.

Koivu said that his ankle feels fine for about 10 to 15 minutes and then the pain builds up. He plans to take a little bit more time away from skating before NHL play resumes on Feb. 19.

The Wild will have four players representing their countries at the game.

Fellow Finn Mikael Granlund will skate in his first Olympics.

Zach Parise appears in his second Games and will captain the United States, along with alternate captain Ryan Suter, also in his second Olympics.